Chapter – 06
Mikhail, who’d left Haeohreum Forest, headed to the top of the windmill.
Today too, he needed to dry the windbell mushrooms until sunset.
“Mikhail, did you hear the news?”
Mikhail crouched down and was threading the mushrooms that had turned blue. Lloyd, who’d been flipping through book pages beside him, spoke.
“A guest came to Fioned’s Early Autumn, and apparently they look loaded with money. Just the clothes they’re wearing are worth at least twenty gold coins. That’s two months’ living expenses for ordinary people.”
“…”
“That guest started stacking boxes in front of the shop. But the most important thing is they’re combat magic tools.”
“…”
“Nothing’s more mismatched than a restaurant and combat magic tools… Wait, don’t tell me they’re changing businesses? Oh no! I haven’t found anything as delicious as Denver’s soup yet.”
The last comment was practically tearful. Mikhail glanced at Lloyd, then threaded and hung the remaining mushrooms.
“That aside.”
That’s when it happened. Lloyd approached Mikhail’s side and picked up a mushroom.
He waved it around as if holding a conductor’s baton.
Mikhail quickly reached out his hand. He was planning to snatch it back and put it in place, but…
Smack!
“Hey, partner. I have something to ask you.”
Lloyd pulled the mushroom behind his back and grinned. Mikhail withdrew his hand that had cut through empty air and narrowed his brow.
…Judging by how he was suddenly acting friendly, he must want something.
“Partner all of a sudden?”
“Why so stiff? We’re sharing the same goal right now, aren’t we? Hoping these cute mushrooms dry safely. So doesn’t that make us partners?”
…Really now?
Mikhail clicked his tongue softly and asked.
“What do you want?”
“Oh, getting straight to the point? Not bad.”
Lloyd shrugged his shoulders quite exaggeratedly.
“Listen, even though it’s only been about a day and a half, I’ve been pretty diligent. I’ve saved mushrooms that almost blew away in the wind several times. And that’s not all—I even fought off small invaders. From seagulls up top to squirrels down below… Oh, let’s include those ravens that have been so aggressive lately. Anyway, I’ve put my heart into caring for the mushrooms.”
His voice layered on enthusiasm repeatedly.
Mikhail gestured with his chin for him to continue.
“You’ve heard this before, right? The more effort you put in, the more it becomes your own business… At some point, I found myself hoping these mushrooms would dry properly. I can’t see it as someone else’s business anymore. In other words… hmm, should I say we’ve become a community of shared fate with you and the mushrooms at the forefront?”
Lloyd ended his long speech with a cough and tapped Mikhail’s shoulder. He asked casually.
“…So, could you give me a hint about this weapon or whatever it is? Staring at mushrooms all day is making me antsy.”
Instead of answering, Mikhail shifted his gaze to the side.
Where it landed was on the green-covered book Lloyd had just set down—a botanical encyclopedia.
‘Just like him—can’t stand not knowing something.’
Mikhail looked at Lloyd again. Lloyd was waiting for an answer with eyes shining eagerly.
Quite faithful to his established character.
The corners of Mikhail’s eyes narrowed slightly.
‘In that context, if I leave him alone…’
He’d also be the type to dig into his background later.
The actions he’d take after reversing the magic incompetence verdict—those would be quite different from his previous behavior.
…Enough to arouse Lloyd’s suspicions.
‘But if I use this matter well, I can prevent unnecessary suspicions from arising early on.’
A cold breeze swept between them.
Mikhail dropped his gaze and slowly opened his mouth while threading the mushroom in his hand.
“…Potion.”
“What?”
“I’m going to make a potion. With these mushrooms.”
Lloyd scratched his cheek and tilted his head.
“What are you talking about? Potions using windbell mushrooms are mostly for recovery purposes. Or they’re spices.”
Mikhail didn’t add to the story.
Instead, he hung the fully threaded mushrooms on the railing and tossed out a comment in an indifferent tone.
“If you want to know more, come out to the square tomorrow morning.”
“The square? Why there all of a sudden?”
Lloyd frowned and asked back, but Mikhail didn’t respond.
After brushing the dust off his clothes, he turned toward the stairs and took four or five steps forward.
“Just so you know, just because it’s a weapon doesn’t mean it’ll hurt or injure anyone.”
Suddenly, Mikhail turned around.
The face looking at Lloyd wore a rather confident smile.
“So see it for yourself. How windbell mushrooms become a weapon.”
After leaving the windmill, Mikhail walked toward the alley inside the shopping district.
He continued through the gradually narrowing alley for about ten minutes.
Before long, he stopped in front of a magic tool shop. Mikhail looked up at the rough wooden sign.
‘Once I stop by here, all the preparations will be complete.’
The place where he could obtain a contract scroll.
To receive the reward from the magic tool rampage incident without issues, he needed the scroll sold at this place.
Creak.
That’s when it happened.
The door opened with the sound of hinges engaging.
“Hmm?”
Who appeared was an old man with thick white hair. A stubborn-looking face holding a chess board.
Mikhail immediately recalled the person’s identity.
‘Retired magic research director, Haeron Reed.’
Meanwhile, Haeron looked Mikhail up and down and snapped bluntly.
“We’re not open right now! Come back after lunch!”
Haeron was about to close the door and lock it. Mikhail opened his mouth.
“How about playing with me today?”
“Huh?”
“You’re heading to the armory right now. To play chess.”
The rattling sound of the lock stopped abruptly.
When Haeron turned around, Mikhail smiled, rounding the corners of his eyes.
“Let’s play a game with me.”
“Well, what a bold kid coming here.”
Haeron let out an incredulous laugh but soon unlocked the lock. Click. The door opened again.
“Come in! A customer I could turn away, but turning away a challenger—that’s impossible.”
Mikhail followed Haeron into the shop.
Unlike the exterior, the interior was quite dignified. Haeron pointed to a walnut table placed in the center of the room and spoke.
“Sit here. Are you betting stakes or not?”
Mikhail answered without hesitation.
“I’ll bet.”
“Yeah? Got something in mind?”
“If you win, I’ll help with work for a week, and if I win, how about I take one item worth up to 1 gold?”
“Well, it’s not excessive, so that’s good. …And it’s a bit more in my favor too.”
Haeron giggled and pulled out a card case from the shelf.
“Then let’s skip chess and do a card game. It wouldn’t look good bringing out my main game against a kid.”
Mikhail nodded without objection. In reality, whether it was chess or a card game didn’t matter.
He knew all the games played here well.
Thud.
Haeron set down the card case in the middle of the table and sat across from Mikhail.
“The first game is ‘One Track.’ Do you know how to play?”
One Track.
According to the game’s setting, it was a game with rules similar to the real-world Uno.
“Yes.”
“Good.”
The game started immediately. Haeron stacked and shuffled the cards, then handed eight cards to Mikhail.
Tension settled over the table.
Mikhail shifted his gaze slightly while pretending to check his hand.
“Hmm, hmmm…”
Haeron looked at him with gleaming eyes. His cheeks twitched in rhythm with his humming.
“Sorry to crush your spirits right off the bat, but you’d better prepare yourself to oil the floors for a week.”
Haeron was quite full of himself. Mikhail stared at him for a moment, then dropped his gaze.
The composition of his opponent’s hand roughly pieced itself together in his mind.
‘Two hums and three right cheek twitches… A spade pair, heart triple, and one joker. Something like that.’
An hour passed after that.
“You lost again, sir.”
“Gaaaah!”
Haeron scattered the cards he was holding into the air with a scream.
He clenched his fist and slammed the table.
Thud!
Mikhail looked at Haeron, whose face had turned beet red.
It had been an excessively easy match. It was like looking at his opponent’s hand—there was no way it wouldn’t be easy.
“Th-this doesn’t make sense! That I couldn’t win even once against a wet-behind-the-ears brat!”
Haeron trembled, fist clenched, and thrust his head toward Mikhail.
“You little brat, tell me honestly. You used some kind of magic tool, didn’t you? Otherwise there’s no way…”
Mikhail tilted his head slightly.
“You know better than anyone that such tricks are impossible in this place.”
“…Grr.”
Haeron glanced at the magic detector attached to the wall and slumped into his chair looking deflated.
“Tsk, fine. Nothing’s more pathetic than being old and unable to accept the results.”
“…”
“You won. Tell me what you want.”
Mikhail readily opened his mouth.
“I need a contract scroll.”
“A contract scroll?”
Haeron asked back with a puzzled look, but soon clapped his hands as if he understood.
“Right, of course! Wait a moment.”
Haeron chuckled and approached the counter. He bent down and rummaged through the drawers below.
“Right. It’s the age where silly bets are pretty fun. Let me see. There are a lot of interesting ones actually. Like ones that spread extreme spiciness in your mouth if you don’t fulfill the contract, or ones that slow your walking for half a day. There’s even one that gives you the pain of stubbing your toe on furniture corners for an hour…”
“No, I’d like one used for formal transactions, please.”
“Huh?”
Haeron’s upper body popped up from behind the counter.
“Those scrolls are what business people use! They don’t suit you kids.”
“That’s why I need it. I have a big deal tomorrow.”
Haeron stopped moving and looked at Mikhail. A somewhat reluctant feeling passed across his face.
“…”
A brief silence passed. Haeron let out a low sigh and bent down below the counter again.
“…Tsk, these days kids learn and experience things too fast. There should be learning and experiences that match one’s age.”
Finally, Haeron pulled out a scroll tied with a blue ribbon and held it out.
“Here, take it. When making a contract, make sure to read the conditions twice… no, three times.”
“Thank you.”
Mikhail tucked the received scroll into his clothes. Perhaps because it was a scroll that would turn into a handsome reward tomorrow, he felt quite pleased.
“That aside!”
Haeron snorted and crossed his arms.
“Next time I won’t lose so easily! Because then I’ll face you with chess!”
…Even if he switches to chess, the result will be the same.
While Mikhail just smiled awkwardly, Haeron rattled off his plans in quite a heated tone.
“Don’t think it’ll be this easy next time! I’ll dedicate myself to training with my longtime rival. And that’s not all! Even that renowned kid from that famous mage family…!”
Flinch—Haeron’s shoulders trembled once.
Haeron cleared his throat while gauging Mikhail’s reaction.
“N-no! I also know a student! A bit naive, but… well anyway, let’s have a rematch!”
Mikhail smiled broadly at Haeron and nodded.
“Yes, I’ll see you again soon.”
